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Thursday, December 28, 2017

As a continuation of my thread of last week, let me encourage you to download our updated Catalogue (either as an illustrated PDF file, or as an Excel speadsheet), rather than bore you by repeating news pieces.

1/600 Age of Sail Ships: Such is the range we're planning to start this 2018 year. A first Early Galleon is almost over: hulls are done, rigging is being cast and box design is just awaiting some artwork to be finished. Shortly after its release we shall launch a second, Late Galleon; and in the meanwhile a third ship is already on designer's workbench --a Man-of-War.

I'm not 100% sure about their ultimate pricing, but I'm starting to believe we'll be able to keep them within the €15.95 range (just as the 1/100 aircraft kits or 1/72 figure sets).

As for how to expand the range after those three first ships, there is some uncertainty still. I might choose to continue the
full rigged ships series with a frigate, or otherwise could start a range of galleys. It's up to you to help determine the range direction by using our Wishlist.

As for Spanish Civil War, I'm planning to still keep developing all the related ranges (mainly the 1/72nd scale one, but with some room to 1/100th too), although at a more calm speed than in past years. Minairons needs some breathe now, after the huge invest on SCW!

So I'm afraid there won't be any avalanche of SCW releases during 2018. What we currently have on workbenches is a small set of Motorcycle Dispatch Riders at both 1/100 and 1/72, L3/33 Tankette at 1/72, Trubia-Naval Tank at 1/100, and Assault Guards 20mm figure sets. Only if things do run very well during 2018 we shall dare to also release a Fiat-SPA Dovunque truck at 1/72 we are currently designing.

Due to this need of taking breathe, we are now working on some kind of partnership agreement with Early War Miniatures, many of whose ranges are simply ideal to complement ours own. Conversations are likely to end up as a crossed-retail, or crossed-distribution deal. Such is my wish, at least.

OTHER MAIN LINES

In accordance to the priority assigned to the upcoming Age of Sail Ships range, we're going to keep making some 1/600 Naval Flags sheets else, albeit starting to condition their release rate to the eventual success of model ships themselves (just for caution). The next batch we've forecast is to include, for the first time, two flag sets own to 18th Century rather than to 17th --both related to War of Spanish Succession.

BTW, one user has recently written to me for suggesting a larger scale version of such sets --aimed at 15mm or even 28mm gaming compatible model ships. How would you see it?

1/144 and 1/100 aircraft ranges: Sorry for the delay our next planned aircraft (Breguet Br.XIX) is experiencing. Honestly, its 1/144 version is already done, but I've refrained myself from ordering a decals sheet for it so far, for the above commented 'taking breathe' reason. I'll do all my best to include it in pipeline within 2018! (no other would be my will).

Saturday, December 23, 2017

I'd like to wish to you all some memorable Christmas holidays with your beloved ones, as well as a most happy New Year.

Let me show in a few lines the latest hour releases, just at the start of these momentous holidays. First, some words for talking about our category of 1/72nd scale Spare parts, that has just grown with a new addition: a turret kit for T-26 tank improvement, also suitable for BA-3 or BA-6 armoured cars, BT-5 or early BT-7 tanks, and some Spanish Civil War armour, like Hispano Suiza MC-36 or Chevrolet armoured cars. It consists of a detailed resin turret with separate hatches and a brass gun barrel. Hope you like it!

Also, we have released two new 'Reinforcement' kits (that it, the single model version of an already released boxed vehicle set), the one in 1/100th scale (IGC Sadurní light tank) while the other in 1/72nd (Landesa tractor).

In the end, we have several projects running fast altogether, hopefully welcome by gamers; as well as a couple of surprise moves and expected collaborations with other brands. Perhaps better leaving such subjects for later though, after Christmas holidays have gone by.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Here you have our fifth batch of 1:600th scale Age of Sail naval flags sheets: this time, those belonging to 17th century Portuguese, Dutch and Ottoman warships.

As usual, the new flag sets come as DIN A7 paper sheets, each including an ensign, two alternative/complementary mast flags, a bow jack and a pennant; all them, slightly textured and following the general pattern shown below:

After this addition, our Naval Flags range is right now comprising 15 different sets belonging up to 7 maritime nations --as well as those of a famous pirate! Besides, more flag sets from both 17th and 18th centuries are awaiting their chance on our Wishlist.

Thursday, November 16, 2017

This year, the Alpha-ARES veteran wargaming club has merged its prestigious yearly show into the larger format DAU Barcelona event, that is sponsored by Barcelona municipality to promote gaming habit among population. Historical wargaming will have its room there, next Saturday 18th; and, as it couldn't be otherwise, Minairons Miniatures will be attending to it once again.

Next to our stand, a group of gaming friends from AJJRR Reus town gaming club will hold a gorgeous 1938 Gandesa battle scenario using 1:72 scale (20mm) miniatures from Minairons and other makes. The spectacular scenario shown is going to incorporate the first ever assembled and painted model kit of our long since announced Wine Cellar --a large scenery piece reproducing an architecural feature common to many villages in southern and central Catalonia. Model kit is packaged in a sturdy cardboard box, that also serves as a central core around which the rest of building components are assembled.

As said, this is a large scenery piece, likely to capture watchers' sight not less than a cathedral. The whole boxed kit weighs around 0.59 kg and, once built, building model size is to be 26.5 cm long x 16 cm wide x 16 cm high approximately. It is already available on Minairons website at the price of €59.95 --however, during DAU Barcelona event only we shall retail it at a 15% discount, as a promotion. Don't miss the chance!!

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Minairons had got so far known primarily for its range of Spanish civil war miniatures, mainly at 1/72nd scale, but also to some extent at 1/100th and 1/56th too. However, I am writing these lines to formally start a completely new range of model kits, dedicated to a totally different period and on a different scale.

So, while a professional artist begins to give color and volume to our first model of such new range (a large Age of Sail
transoceanic Renaissance galleon at 1/600th scale, that can be watched in the photo above), please allow me to introduce the new section we have
just open on Minairons website:

Awaiting the release date of such first model, our naval collection already consists of a dozen sheets of ensigns and naval flags of XVII and XVIII centuries, complemented by the complete Range 18 from Peter Pig, consisting of sail ships and various accessories (crews, cannons and rowing boats). As you can see from the attached photos below (taken on models from my own collection decorated with Minairons flags), there is a high compatibility between both brands' products:

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

I'm sad to announce that The Plastic Soldier Company is no longer going to carry and distribute Minairons Miniatures stuff. They haven't formally acknowledged me over yet (something I would have greeted anyway), but all clues and indications do confirm this is irreversible. This circumstance saddens me even more if recalling that I had always taken PSC as a model to follow.

However, setbacks along the way should not make us stop, look back and regret. Nothing is gained like this. This is the reason why, after some thinking, I've chosen to be proactive and decide the following: as while as Minairons Miniatures does not achieve a trade deal with another UK company replacing PSC as distributor or even retailer, I've dropped all order shipping fees to individual British & Irish customers to local rates (the same ones enjoyed by Spanish customers), as if Minairons was based in the UK.

No need to add that every UK & Ireland local shop is warmly invited to get in touch with us and purchase Minairons stuff directly from us, so avoiding intermediaries --as other shops in Spain, EU and USA are already doing. Please find here our general terms for retail.

Monday, October 30, 2017

Timely with our naval range schedule, we have just made available three new sets of 17th Century naval flags, now those devoted to French and Catalan warships, as well as to an Ottoman trade galleon:

After this triple release, our Age of Sail naval flags collection comprises now up to 12 different sets, with many more on the way --as it can be checked on our blog's pipeline page. All them are priced at €2.00 each and can be purchased from our website.

Besides, we're keeping a wide selection of other 17th and 18th centuries naval flags sets awaiting people to adhere to their proposals --in our Wishlist page.

Saturday, October 21, 2017

I am pleased to acknowledge you that our projected CV33 Carro Veloce has already entered into production stage. Please watch what its production master model does look like:

Most of this new model parts are to be cast in high quality resin, except for a few --i. e. machine guns. After having evaluated tooling costs, I am now fully persuaded we'll be able to keep for it a pricing right similar to that of previous AFV models from us (honestly, I was a little doubtful about it some weeks ago).

Besides, I am happy to confirm you in advance that the ultimate box set will also include a couple of Italian crewmen, as recently agreed with our usual collaborating sculptor, Juan G. Bautista (Xan Miniatures).

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Our recently started 1:600 scale Age of Sail Naval Flags range keeps growing, now by the addition of three new sets devoted to the English Navy between 1630 and 1707.

Many of the mast flags chosen are interchangeable to some extent from one Squadron ship to another, while the Royal Standard we've reproduced is that one of Stuart's dynasty. All three are already available at our website, as usual.

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Not having been issued any slogan for a strike elongation by controlling trade unions (CCOO and UGT), civic associations or
political parties of Catalonia (except some minority unions still claiming for an indefinite strike), I am happy to end Minairons strike too.

Therefore, our website will be operational again by midnight of today, Tuesday 3/10/2017. That is, in about half an hour's time.

Monday, October 2, 2017

After the massive, disproportionate, brutal agressions suffered yesterday by hundreds of thousands pacifical, non-violent Catalan citizens at hands of Spanish police and Civil Guard, under excuse of preventing a referendum poll to be performed, the country's main trade unions and social entities have convoked a ONE-DAY STRIKE for tomorrow --a strike subsceptible to become an INDEFINITE GENERAL STRIKE depending on the events to happen in the next few days.

Minairons Miniatures is going to shut doors down too, as a sign of repulse toward the exorbitant repression suffered by citizens regardless of their age or sex (in one case at least, particularly cruel aggressions due precisely to her sex and age). We are plainly unwilling to stand working as if nothing had happened. That of yesterday was enough.

Therefore, we shall stop all professional activity and cease processing orders, responding to customers, traders or suppliers or developing new projects. We honestly hope the strike isn't going to last more than a single day, but are determined to keep doors shut down if a strike elongation is decreed.

We humbly apologize for this to all our friends and beg their comprehension. It's a matter of dignity as citizens of a supposedly western civilized, democratic country that has unmasked itself.

Friday, September 29, 2017

We've already 3D-printed prototypes of the Harley Davidson Flathead motorcycle, at 1:100th and 1:72nd scales altogether --and have even resin cast a handful of both, for the pilot sculptors to have samples at hand. Please watch what they look like:

As for its smaller version, we are now in the process of prospecting a well-known British company to reach some kind of agreement or joint venture production, on the basis that Minairons would furnish the bike prototypes while the other brand would provide for riders. If such agreement was met, bikes and riders would then be cast as a single piece, accordingly to the usual practice of that brand.

Otherwise, riders for its 1:72 version would be cast apart by one of our usual sculptors (Xan or Angel Terol), depending on each one's availability and agenda. Bike itself might be cast as resin or white metal indifferently in this case.

Monday, September 25, 2017

After having been halted for longer than desired, we've recently decide to push forward the 1/144 scale version of Breguet Br.XIX, a 2-seat bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that was standard to the Spanish Air Force in the 1920s and early 1930s. Here below you have
a caption of a master model of it, at the start of casting process --the other aircaft to its side is a Fiat CR.32 master model, ready for another production batch.

We expect to release it within current year, accompanied by a decals sheet with markings suitable for both SCW sides. We shall price it the same as other aircrafts in the range, most probably.

Saturday, September 9, 2017

While awaiting our first 1:600 Age of Sail model ship to come (see picture above), we're making its complementary 17th century Naval Flags range to steadily grow. The first three sheets we released last month are now accompanied by three more sets: those
for a Spanish Man o'War, a Catalan Galleon and Thomas Tew's pirate ship.

New sets can be purchased from our website at the price of €2.00 each. As already commented, these 6 first sheets are still to be followed by several more, accordingly to the current schedule shown in this page of Minairons Blog. Also, a lot of possible naval flags sets more are on Minairons' Wishlist page, awaiting your vote to make them see daylight. Join the contest!

Saturday, August 12, 2017

The three first sets of our new 1:600 Age of Sail range are already available. Each consists of a DIN A7 sized paper sheet
with several maritime flags and pennant, conceived for a particular ship type and nation. The first three ones just launched are devoted to Spanish and Portuguese trans-atlantic galleons as well as a generic French Indiaman, and will be shortly followed by other sets; for it's our purpose to have a consistently large collection of flags at disposal of users at the time of releasing the first ship models.

Flags have been designed as a first instance to serve as ensign the largest, as complementary or alternative mast flags the medium sized ones, and a likely jack if needed the smallest one. I think it's also worth to advance that medium sized flags will be designed so that some can be used as ensign for smaller ships. Others will be interchangable from one set to another, so as to serve as (likely if not purely historical) rank flags or other purposes; I'm thinking of English Squadron mast flags, for instance. You will see what I mean as collection grows.

It's probable that many users aren't going to hoist all these flags on a single ship, or aren't going to use them as conceived at start --but we thought it good to give the maximum number of choices in such a small sheet. And last but not least, despite conceived to complement our upcoming range of ships (scaled to 1:600, as said), our flags will perfectly fit onto models from other makes --even those nominally larger such as Peter Pig's 1:450 scale ships, as my own experience as a gamer can attest.

New sets can be acquired from our website at the price of €2.00 each. As already commented, they'll be shortly followed by some flag sheets else, accordingly to the current schedule shown in this page of Minairons Blog --and several more awaiting a chance in Minairons' Wishlist page.

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

The poll we placed some weeks ago, with the aim to know our readers opinion on a future Naval Flags range priorities, is over now. Let's analize its results and make a few first decisions:

Poll consisted of two linked questions; the first one asked what period would users like better we started with. As it can be seen by the image attached at left, results here are straightforward: we are required to start with 17th century (17 votes, against 10 for 18th century). However, the number of votes requesting a development of both periods is significant enough to make us think that, despite giving higher priority to the period having won, the second one shouldn't be put aside. Somehow, we'd better to start developing this latter shortly after having started the first period.

As for the second poll, this one asked for users priorities among diverse seafaring nations --where several responses were allowed. Results here are fairly clear, with English men-of-war flags an absolute winner with 20 votes! Other options can be grouped into three groups: those closely following the winner (14 to 12 votes), those not prioritary but inspiring some curiosity (8 to 5 votes) and the not so favoured queue (4 votes or less).

SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THIS?

First of all, results have been inserted into Minairons Wishlist, so as to allow you to still influence scores and priorities (no matter if you already voted in the poll; what I'd like to foresee now is amount requests). Thanks to this, everyone can also request another projects not listed in the poll --just as I've done myself by adding Emanuel Wynn pirate, Jerusalem trucial trader, Russian man-of-war or Papacy ships!

As already explained in a previous post, we already projected another 10 flag designs besides of those in the poll. All them were inserted in pipeline prior to the poll, and even a few have already been printed. These 10 designs fall into two categories: flag sheets belonging to Iberian Peninsula nations (that aren't going to be affected by the poll results), and French and Ottoman sheets (whose releasing will be alternated with those best scoring in the poll; so in the next few days, pipeline will be modified with the insertion of English man-of-war flags and will start their production too).

Q - And what about 18th century naval flags?
A - Soon, news about them coming soon too; I'm not going to forget these.